Lay My Hat

We've got a cottage and it's just gone live after what seems like years of planning. We've just had out first confirmed (& paid for!) booking - through a well known agency - & when the booking sheet arrived it turns out the client is from Oz.
Do I email the chap & say something along the lines of 'welcome, looking forward to seeing you', or do I just leave well alone?

Thanks in advance

I would say definately yes. Depends slightly on how much hands-on you are intending to be but I think that a dialogue/relationship between the renter and the owner can only be mutually beneficial.

Try it, you'll see from the response whether the renter appreciates the "personal touch" or not.

Why not, indeed! The personal touch can take you along way to helping make your guests feel welcome and it also gives them the opportunity to ask any questions that only you the owner may be able to answer for them. You don't have to be "in their face" but a short email to open contact and let them know you are available for any queries they may have will probably be appreciated. Having said that, there are some guests who take you at your word and have you organising the rest of their holiday for them ... but for the most part you've got nothing to lose!

Bon courage!

Congratulations on your first booking.

We've just got ours this week too. Isn't it exciting yet really scary at the same time.

really scary!! I've emailed them to say welcome etc, so we'll see what happens.

We've got a friend staying there for a couple of days so she's testing everything for us. So far the only problem is the cockerel making too much noise early in the morning! I think he may have a tragic accident shortly

Onestep, congratulations for your booking, first of many to come! I still remember my first guests, one million years ago! The same way I still remember the hailstorm DURING their arrival, they were a lovely couple of Canadians. <3

I'm not entirely sure how it works when the booking is taken by the agency.

In that scenario, I would have thought the contact should be between guest and agency.

I remember there was someone posting on here recently about an uppity guest demanding money back when cancelling on the day of their arrival. The guest was making these demands from the owner, but the booking had gone through a third party. I don't mean to play devil's advocate, but I wonder if making direct contact creates an element of confusion as to who the guest's agreement is with.

PS - Congratulations on the booking.

Congrats! Hope it is the first of many. We just started this year,our first guests were a no show and boy did i sweat getting it just perfect for them.
Next lot arrive on Saturday, they will be the first people ever to stay in the new rooms we have just added, the panick has set in as I keep adding new jobs to the list

good luck....!!!

Next lot arrive on Saturday, they will be the first people ever to stay in the new rooms we have just added, the panick has set in as I keep adding new jobs to the list

Will you tell them they are the first? I did when we opened out new unit in April and asked the first 2 lots of guests for their feedback and they really enjoyed being the 'testers'. They made some really good points too.

Where are you in Herefordshire? Our Welsh house may be close. We always send all of our guests a booking confirmation but it's a doctored version if they come through the local agency (Booking fee: 'As charged by ...... etc.)

As local agents in Herefordshire, I would strongly recommend you contact the person directly.

Good booking agents encourage direct contact because their job is not to manage the cottage but to get bookings for you. The quality of your service will be enhanced the better communication you have with your guests. A booking agent that discourages this is anti-quality.

Legacy agencies sometimes try to boss owners around far too much... and often expect exclusivity and commissions of over 30% on income. Some, even, attempt to charge commission on rentals the owners have found for themselves.

We're inbetween Hereford and Ledbury. We're very new at this, but so far the agency have been very helpful. TBH, we initially thought we'd try it with the agency, see if I like doing it, and then maybe go it alone, but already I can see that the agency do make things a lot easier in many regards. Obviously the disadvantages are in the commission

Just had a look at the cottage. We do not own any cottages so we always admire people who put their money on the line.

It seems you have the formula right. So many get it utterly wrong; convincing out of date cottage owners to ditch the chintz, corn dollies, old fashioned TVs and dated wall paper can be a bruising and dispiriting affair.

Feel free to call in if you are in Leominster. We do not hard sell and will be more than happy to advise on this and that if you request. You can see a bit of this from the style of our blog, below.

The market is tough but there will always be takers for quality.